Sterilizer



April 1930.

PILLA TERILIZER Filed M 12 1926 6 Sheets-S l (/25 Z21 WVEMUR Z5Paulppupc'ila P. P. PUPlLLA April 22, 1930.

STERILIZER Filed May 12, 1926 6 Sheets-Sheet BY v I ATTORNEY i April 22,1930. PUPILLA 1,755,895

STERILIZER Filed May 12, 1926 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTUR Pauz RPupz'lZaATTbRNEY April 22, 1930. p 1,755,895

STERILIZER Filed May 12, 1926 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR Paalffupz'lla BYf April '22, 1930. p A 1,755,895

STERILIZER Filed May 12, 1926 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 75 FFI FF! E[ a IINVENTOR Paul P Pupz'lla ATTORNEY P. P. PUPILLA April 22, 1930.

STERILIZER Filed May 12, 1926 6 Sheets-Sheet ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 22,1930 UNITED STATES PAUL P. PUIPILLA, OF BRADLEY BEACH, NEW JERSEYSTERILIZER Application filed May 12, 1926. Serial No. 108,705.

The invention relates to sterilizer appliances in which the sterilizingfluid is preferably steam, and it has among its objects to maintainautomatically the sterilizing chamher or chambers at the propertemperature for the requisite period of time. The invention relates morespecifically to apparatus, for example, of the character utilized inbarber shops; and has for a further object to make provision forsterilizing not only towels and similar materials, but shaving mugs,shaving brushes, and hair brushes, as well as combs.

To this end, the invention consists in a novel form of sterilizingchamber or chambers, 16 novel means for controlling the supply ofheating medium thereto, novel containers for the articles to besterilized, and means for registering the number of such articlessterilized. The novel sterilizing chambers may be associated with theusual type of sterilizer tank for towels and the like, if desired.

The nature of the invention, however, will best be understood whendescribed in connection with the accompanying drawings, in Which- Fig. 1is a plan view of the novel sterilizer outfit and is shown combined withthe usual type of sterilizer chamber for towels and the like.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary front elevation thereof.

Fig. 3 is a similar elevation but with the tray supporting frameselevated out of their respective containers or tanks and with a portionof clamp in section.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan with portions broken away and illustratingthe locking and registry mechanism, and Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectionof further details thereof.

Fig. 5 is a vertical transverse section taken on the line 55, Fig. 4,looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary rear elevation.

Fig. 7 is a side elevation partly in section.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary elevation of the gas controlling means.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of one of the trays employed, and Fig. 9 isa longitudinal vertical section therethru taken on the line 9-9, Fig. 8,and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring to the drawings, 10 designates a suitable sterilizer tank ofwell known type such as is used to sterilize towels and the like andwhich may be associated with the novel sterilizer tanks intended forshaving mugs, shaving brushes and hair brushes, also combs, andhereinafter more fully described. The tank 10 is supported upon suitablestandards 11 and at its top is provided with a suitable lid or covermember 12, controlled by a handle 13 and whereby access may be had tothe interior of said tank or chamber.

Associated with said tank, as by being secured to the top and outer wallthereof, are one or more vertically disposed sterilizer tanks 15 and 16of novel design and within which are to be sterilized certain articlessuch as, for example, a shaving brush 17, a hair brush 18 and comb 19,Fig. 8 of the drawings. To effect this sterilization of these particulararticles, trays 20 are employed which themselves are of novel design. Asshown in Figs. 8 and 9, these trays are of rectangular outline with adividing wall or partition 21 of less height than the walls of the trayand separating the said trays into two compartments, one of which is ofa width sufiicient to accommodate the shaving brush 17 and of a depth toserve also as a dish or mug for mixing the lather. The other compartmentis designed to receive the hair brush 18 which may carry also the comb19; and this compartment is provided with a series of holes or openings22 in the bottom, while at its forward or outer end said compartment ofeach tray is notched or provided with a recess 23 extending downwardlyfrom the upper edge. This enables not only the insertion of a finger inwithdrawing the tray but also provides an opening into the interiorthereof for admission of the sterilizing fluid, it being understood thatin the use of these trays a plurality of the same are stacked one uponthe other and a stack located in a corresponding tank 15 or 16 forsterilization of the articles. Furthermore, the under face of a tray 20is provided with a groove 24 extending from the front thereoflongitudinally of the same to a short distance from the 1 0 rear soas'to leave an abutment or shoulder at the rear end of the-groove. Thepurpose of this groove and shoulder will be set forth hereinafter inconnection with the operation of the registry mechanism.

The two said vertical tanks 15 and 16, as stated, are designed toreceive the stacked trays, as shown more particularly in Fig. 3 of thedrawings. To this end, each tank has slidably mounted therein a frame orrack which Is suitably guided by the inner walls pf a particular tankand on a vertically dis: posed guide rod 31 attached tothe pair oftanks, or rather a cross bar 32connect1ng the same at the top and towhich is attached also a handle 33 by which the tray frames may besimultaneously lifted out or lowered into their respective tanks. Rod 31passes also thru a stationary guide sleeve 34 whose lower end affords astop for an adjustable nut 35 on the rod 31 and whereby the extent ofupward movement of the frames is limited. The vertically slidable rod 31is provided with an elongated upper hole 36 and a similar and lower hole37 extending transversely therethru and into which the pin 38,controlled by a spring-urged handle member 39, maybe located in orderthat the frames 30 may be held in either the lowered or withdrawnposition. When thus held in the lowered position, the lid portions ofthe said racks may be firmly clamped to the tops of the respective tanksby means of an ad]ustable clamping nut 37, adapted to contact with aprojection 37 of 1 the lid of a tank, and whose outward move ment islimited by a stop 38 at the upper end of a guide rod 39 secured to alidthe cross bar 32, rigidly held thru the pin engagement of its rod 31,affording a fixed abutment. To withdraw the frames from their tanks, itis, therefore, first necessary to unscrew the clamping nuts to relievethe pressure upon the pin 38 so that it may be withdrawn from the hole36.

Provision is made for furnishing steam to the two tanks 15 and 16 from asuitable boiler 40 which is heatedby a gas heater 41, a gauge glass 42being connected in with the boiler 40 and a thermometer 43 inserted inthe con-v nection thereto. A safety valve 44 may also be provided forthe said boiler to insure against excessive steam pressure developing.The foregoing heating apparatus is of more or less standard type andforms no particular part of the present invention. Arrangement is made,however, to divert steam generated in the boiler,40 into the tank 10when the two racks 30 are withdrawn from their tanks 15 and 16. This iseffected by providing a threeway valve 45 in the steam line 46, aconnection 47 being provided from said valve 45 to the said tank 10; andthe valve is opened or closed with respect to the tanks 15 and 16 thru acrank 48 to whose outer end is pivoted a rod 49 spring-urged upwardly bya spring. 50.

One end of the said spring presses against a collar 51 of the rod andits other end against a fixed abutment 52, while the upper end of saidrod is pressed by said spring against the cross bar 32 when racks arelowered. Thus when the racks are elevated, rod 49 follows bar 32sufficiently to cause valve 45 to shut off the supply to the tanks 15and 16 from which the racks are being withdrawn and divert the same thruthe connection 47 to the tank 10. \Vhen the racks are again lowered intotheir tanks, rod 49 will be forced downwardly and reopen the valve withrespect to the supply thereto, cutting it ofl from the tank 10.

Moreover, the supply of gas to the heater 41 is arranged to be cut offautomatically when the water in boiler 40 has attained the propertemperature, that is to say when the steam has been generated thereinsufliciently long to sterilize the articles in the tanks. To this end,the gas supply valve 55 has an outwardly projecting spring-urged controlpin 56 normally held in depressed position by a vertically sliding rod57 with a disk 58 at the lower end thereof and resting normally upon theouter end of the control pin. Rod 57 has a weighted head or enlargement59 at the upper end and may rise vertically thru engagement therewith ofa lifting cam 60 which is mounted upon an oscillatory rod 61 adapted tobe oscillated by an arm 62 connected thereto at the upper portion of theapparatus. This arm is spring drawn in a direction to normally allow therod 57 to drop by gravity and to shut off thereby valve 55. However,when the rod 61 is oscillated in the proper direction, head 59 is liftedand raises with it the rod 57 and permits thereby also the pin 56 tolift in order to open valve 55 and supply the gas to the burner 41. Whenthe arm 62 is released, however, the lifting cam 60 is moved back intoposition wherein it would permit the gas to be shut off, as explained;and to avoid this from taking place, a pin 64 is provided to fit underthe head 59, said pin being carried by a laterally swinging member 65urged thereto under a slight spring pressure which may be adjusted bymeans of a thumb screw 66. The swinging member 65 is of metal with innerend secured to and in direct contact with the boiler 40 to acquire itstemperature; and is, furthermore, of a bimetallic composition to afforda thermostatic element which will respond to variations in temperature.At the desired temperature, this element bends outwardly, in manner wellunderstood, sufiiciently to move pin 64 out of contact with the head 59and thus cause rod 57 to drop and shut off the gas supply.

When the trays of the racks have thus been maintained for a sufficientperiod at the proper temperature to sterilize the articles containedtherein, the racks may be lifted to the position indicated in Fig. 3,being locked in the elevated position by pin 38 engaging 4 of each ofthe said racks or tanks with surface substantially flush with thesupporting surface for the lowermost of the trays of a stack. Sterilizedtrays with contents may thus be conveniently withdrawn thru the recess23 or finger-hold provided therein. Platform 72 is provided,furthermore, with vertical sides 73 having channeled overhanging upperedges 74 designed to fit over the corresponding side edges of the trays,while the forward end of the platform is entirely open. This constrainsan outgoing tray thereto and requires drawing said tray over the saidplatform in removing the same from the rack; and the groove 24 of a trayis designed to ride over the teeth'of a forwardly rotatable ratchetwheel 75 projecting above the surface of the platform. When the shoulder25 at the rear end of a tray strikes a tooth of the ratchet wheel saidwheel will be rotated thru the space of one toothin order to clear theshoulder and permit removal of the tray. .The number of teeth of thisratchet Wheel are equal to the number of trays designed to be retainedby a rack; and as the ratchet wheel is rotated, its shaft 76 rotatestherewith, the same carrying a radially projecting pin 77 designed toengage, when the last tray of a stack has been withdrawn, acorresponding pin 78 on a rotatable and parallel disposed shaft 79. Thislatter shaft carries at one end a stop pin 80 adapted to move upwardlythru a slot 81 of the platform, upon engagement of pins 77 and 78, to asubstantially vertical position so as to prevent withdrawal of furthertrays should any unsterilized ones have been inserted. This not onlyinsures against trays being withdrawn which have not been sterilized,but also provides a means for registering the successive insertions of aloaded rack into its tank. Pin 80 will remain in its upright lockingposition until handle 39 is moved to withdraw its pin from the rod 31and permit the racks to be returned to their respective tanks. Thepivoted handle 39 is provided with an extension arm 82 for this purposewhich fits a recess 83 of a sliding block 84; and the latter is providedwith a laterally extending pin 85 adapted to engage a radially directedpin 86 of the shaft 79. The said pin 86 when the pin 80 is elevatedabove the platform is adapted to be locked by engagement of a notch 87thereof with a weighted pawl 88 carried by block 84 and is unlockedduring the forward movement of the block thru contact of arm 89 of thepawl with a stop 90. Pin 85 then moves downwardly the pin 86 rotatingthereby the shaft 79 and restores pin 80 to its non-locking posi- 4tion.

When the racks are again elevated, it will be of course necessary tomove handle 39 to release the rod 31; and this again actuates theregistry mechanism 91 controlled by the sliding member 84, giving twoindications and corresponding to two groups of the trays. For the twosets of trays indicated, it will be understood that the, ratchetmechanism and locking pin mechanism is duplicated and located uponopposite sides of the restoring block 84. Movement of block 84,moreover, may affect in manner well understood the registry mechanism 91thru a pin 92 fitting into an opening 93 of the said block.

I claim:

1. Sterilizing apparatus, comprising a sterilizing tank, a rack forreceiving articles to be sterilized and movable into and out of thetank, a lid member for the tank and carried by the rack, means to limitthe extent of movement of the rack, a rod movable with the rack andhaving openings corresponding to its raised and lowered ositions, amovable arm having a pin adapte to fit into the openings of said rod,and adjustable means to force the lid member to the tank to seal thelatter, the said locking pin when in the opening for lowered position ofrack in tank serving as an abutment and being locked thereby againstwithdrawal from the opening.

2. Sterilizing apparatus, comprising a sterilizing tank, a rack forreceiving articles to be sterilized and movable into and out of thetank, a lid member for the tank and carried by the rack means to limitthe extent of movement of the rack, a rod movable with the rack andhaving openings corresponding to its raised and lowered posltions, amovable arm having a pin adapted to fit into the openings of said rod,adjustable means to force the lid member to the tank to seal the latter,the said locking pin when in the opening for lowered position of rack intank serving as an abutment and being locked thereby against withdrawalfrom its 0 ening, and registry mechanism actuated by the movement of thelocking pin to register the movement of the rack relatively to the tank.

3. Sterilizing apparatus, comprising a sterilizing tank, a rack movableinto and out of the tank, a plurality of trays for articles to besterilized and carried in superposed position by the rack, a removalplatform located adjacently the upper end of the tank adapted toregister with the lowermost tra of the rack when the latter is in raisedposltion and over which a tray is constrained to move in being withdrawnfrom its rack, and movable means supported by the platform and engagedby a tray as the same is removed thereover.

4. Sterilizing apparatus, comprising a sterilizing tank, a rack movableinto and out of the tank, a plurality of trays for articles to besterilized and carried in superposed position by the rack, a removalplatform adapted to register with the lowermost tray of the rack whenthe latter is in raised position and over ,which a tray is constrainedto move in being withdrawn from its rack, and means associated with saidplatform and cooperating with a tray to prevent withdrawal from the rackof more than a predetermined num; ber of trays.

5. Sterilizing apparatus, comprising a sterilizing tank, a rack movableinto and out of the tank, means to limit the extent of movement of therack, a plurality of trays each provided with a longitudinal groovealong the underside of the bottom of the tray and open at the forwardend, said trays being adapted to receive articles to be sterilized andto be carried in superposed position by the rack, a removal platformadapted to register with the lowermost tray of the rack when the latteris in raised position and over which the tray is constrained to move 111being withdrawn from its rack, a ratchet wheel projecting above thesurface of the platform, registering with the groove of a tray andadapted to be engaged by a shoulder at the inner end of said groove as atray is withdrawn over the latform, and a pin member adapted to pro ectupwardly through the platform into the ath of the trays after apredetermined num er of engagements of ratchet wheel and tray have beeneffected.

6. sterilizing apparatus, comprising a sterilizing tank, a rack movableinto and out of the tank, means to limit the extent of movement of therack, a plurality of trays each provided with a lon itudinal groovealong the underside of the bottom of the tray and open at the forwardend, said trays being adapted to receive articles to be sterilized andto be carried in superposed position by the rack, a removal platformadapted to register with the lowermost tray of the rack when the latteris in raised position and over which the tray is constrained to move inbeing withdrawn from its rack, a ratchet wheel projecting above thesurface of the platform, registering with the groove of a tray andadapted to be engaged by a shoulder at the inner end of said groove as atray is withdrawn from the platform, a pin member adapted to projectupwardly through the platform into the path of the trays after apredetermined number of engagements of ratchet wheel and tray have beeneffected,

and means to restore the pin member to a position below the platform.

60 In testimony whereof I afiix my signature. PAUL P. PUPILLA.

